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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-18-10Minutes of the Town Council Work Session held May 18, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. in the Engineering Conference room 0 l of the Municipal Building. There were present: Mayor Jeffrey S. Worrell Council: David L. Clark, Larry G. Clevinger, II, H. M. Kidd, Joel B. Burchett, Jr., Robert A. Bopp, Morgan P. Welker Staff: John J. Hawley, Town Manager David N. Quesenberry, Asst. to the Town Manager Patricia Cruise, Clerk of Council Sherry Boyd, Finance Director Dave Hart, Parks and Facilities Director Bill Webb, Fire Chief Craig Quinn, Engineering Project Engineer John White, Economic Development Director Gary Roche, Police Chief Elizabeth Chitwood, Economic Development Assistant Officer Phillip Bryce Detective Jill Neice R. D. Warburton, Town Attorney Others: Joseph Goodman Clark Payne Jessica Bryce Alexia Bryce Mike Williams, Press Melinda Williams, Press Mayor Worrell called the meeting -to order at 5:00 p.m. Councilman Clark moved to adopt the minutes of April 20, 2010 as written. Councilman Kidd seconded the motion and it carried -on voice vote. Next, Mayor Worrell introduced Officer Phillip Bryce, the May 2010 Employee of .the Month. He read a press release aloud and presented Officer Bryce with an award. He advised that in addition to this award, -Officer Bryce would be given an additional paid day off from work and be eligible -for the Employee of the Year award at the end of the year. The next item on the agenda was a Budget Work Session. Mr. Hawley began with a review of Expenditures. He reviewed the changes directed by Council at the last meeting -and implemented by staff. The Water -and Sewer budget was balanced and the General Fund was short approximately $174,000. Mayor Worrell commented that several,issues needed to be discussed before going further with the budget. The first was the inclusion of a 3% (half step) raise for the Employees. The raises had been discussed several times, but no decision. was made. His personal opinion was that the raises should be included, if for no other reason than that a previous Council had committed to them. Mr. Hawley explained that- this step program .for raises had been set up because an entry level employee could begin work with the. Town at the same rate as .an employee who had been with the Town for several years. Council instituted an 8 step raise system in which the employees would receive a 6% raise per year until they reached the top oftheir pay scale. He added that last year a half step raise was funded for the employees and this year a half step of 3% had been included in the proposed budget. Councilman Burchett suggested an alternative raise system for consideration. May 18, 2010/Page 1 of 6 CO2cilman Welker advised that he would only support the raise if Council found some revenue to offset part of the raise. He suggested a 6.51 %'increase to the .water rates and a 5% or four cent increase to the personal property tax. Councilman Bopp commented that Council should honor what the previous Council had committed to. Councilman Clevinger supported the raise and commented that the personal property tax had not been increased in twenty years. Following extensive discussion, Councilman Welker moved to direct staff to advertise 6.51 % increase in water rates and 80 cents per $100 rate on personal property and machinery and tools tax. The motion wasseconded by Councilman Clevinger. Councilman Burchett. advised that he supported one increase but not the other and asked if the motion might be made separately on each issue. Councilman Welker withdrew his motion. Councilman Welker moved to direct staff to advertise a rate of 80 cents. per $100 dollars for personal property and machinery and tools tax. Councilman Clevinger seconded the motion and so carried on the following recorded vote: David L. Clark - Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr.. - Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II - Aye Robert A. Bopp - No H. M. Kidd - Aye Morgan P. Welker - Aye Councilman Welker moved to direct staff to advertise a 6.51 % increase in the water rate. Mr. Warburton suggested .that an actual amount be included in the motion rather than a percentage. Councilman Welker withdrew his motion. Councilman Welker moved to direct staff to advertise the following water rates: In Town Rate Out of Town -Rates The first 4000 to 20,000 gallons - $2.32 per thousand gallons $4.00 per thousand gallons The next 680,000 gallons $1.97 per thousand gallons $3.29 per thousand gallons Over 700,000 gallons $ 1.47 per thousand gallons $2.97 per thousand gallons Mr. Warburton interjected -that the Town bills by hundreds by Ordinance and the motion needed to reflect that. Councilman Welker withdrew his motion. Councilman Welker moved to direct staff to advertise the following water rates: In Town Rate Out of Town Rates The first 1,000 to 20,000 gallons 23.2 cents per hundred gallons 40 cents per hundred gallons The next 680,000 gallons 19.7 cents per hundred gallons 32.9 cents per hundred gallons Over 700,000 gallons 14.7 cents per hundred gallons 29..4 cents per hundred gallons The motion failed for lack of a second. There being no further motions, Councilman Kidd moved on to cigarette tax. Discussion ensued -regarding increasing the cigarette tax. Councilman Welker moved to direct staff to advertise an increase in the cigarette tax to twenty five cents.per twenty cigarettes. The motion was seconded by Councilman Kidd and carried on the following recorded vote: May 18, 2010/Page 2 of 6 03 David L. Clark - Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II - Aye Robert A. Bopp - No H. M.. Kidd - Aye Morgan, P. Welker - Aye With the decisions made by Council to this point, Mr. Hawley advised that the budget was still out of balance. Council discussed available options to balance the budget. The consensus of Council was for staff to advertise -the rate increases according to the previous recorded votes and use the Unrestricted Fund Balance to balance the budget. At 5:55 p.m., Mayor Worrell called for a five minute break. Mayor Worrell reconvened the meeting at 6:00 p.m. Mr. Hawley advised that he would -compile a Capital list to Council to review prior to the June 1,.2010 meeting The amended BPOL Ordinance was discussed. Mr.. Hawley explained the intent of the proposed changes to the Ordinance. He felt that the wording needed to be changed in the draft amended Ordinance.. Following discussion, it was decided to remove the words "In- addition" from the first line .of item b. Councilman Welker moved to direct staff to advertise the BPOL. Councilman Clark seconded the motion and it carried on the following recorded vote: David L. Clark - Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye Larry G. Clevinger, 11 - Aye Robert A. Bopp - No H. M. Kidd - Aye Morgan P. Welker - Aye Mayor Worrell moved on to -Public Ops. The first item was lease of second building for Museum artifacts. Mr. White advised that O'Connell International Artshad been procured by the Insurance company to -help determine the value of the Museum artifacts and which artifacts to keep and which to de=access. O'Connell International Arts recommended that the objects to be de-accessed be moved to a -temporary storage facility to then be made -available to the public. A temporary storage building had been located adjacent to the current warehouse. He advised that the rental would -be $1,000 per month and asked for authorization to rent the building. Following extensive discussion, Councilman -Clark moved to authorize staff to enter into an agreement to rent a small metal building adjacent to the current warehouse from Bobby Phillips at New River Recycling to take care of the disposal of this property from the Museum. Councilman Clevinger seconded the motion and it carried on the following recorded- vote: David.L. Clark - Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II - Aye Robert A. Bopp - Aye H. M. Kidd = Aye Morgan P. Welker - No Next, Mayor Worrell moved on to disposition of Museum artifacts. Mr. White advised that there were 153 items that had -been red tagged for disposition. Staff was ready to proceed with the disposition. May 18, 2010/Page.3 of 6 M Mayor Worrell recommended that this action be referred to the -Museum Committee for recommendation back to Council. Mr. White explained that the Committee had already reviewed the list and the items and .this was a recommendation from the Committee. Councilman Welker moved to declare the 153 items as listed a surplus and direct staff to prepare a silent auction for the items. The motion failed for lack of a second. Following discussion, Councilman Clevinger moved to declare. the 153.items as surplus and determine a way to dispose of them once -more information was gathered. Councilman Burchett seconded the motion and it carried on the following recorded vote: David- L. Clark - Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II - Aye Robert A. Bopp - Aye H. M. Kidd - Aye Morgan P. Welker -.Aye Mayor Worrell moved on to the 125th Anniversary of the Town. He advised that .the anniversary would occur next year. Some discussion had ensued as to what if any celebration needed to be held. He asked Council to consider this and be -prepared to discuss ata later date. Mayor Worrell moved on to .Resolution 2010-11, Appointing Dan Talbert, Jr. to the Board of Zoning Appeals. He advised that this would complete.action of Council. Mr. Warburton interjected that an amended version of the Resolution had been -placed at Council's desk prior to the meeting, which included the term expiration. Mayor Worrell noted -this and asked for a motion. Councilman Clark moved to adopt the amended version of Resolution 2010-11, Appointing Dan Talbert, Jr. to the Board of Zoning Appeals with the term to expire December 31, 2010. Themotion was seconded by Councilman Clevinger and carried on the following recorded vote: David L.. Clark - Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye Larry G. Clevinger, II - Aye Robert A. Bopp - Aye H. M. Kidd - Aye Morgan P. Welker - Aye The next item on the agenda was GO Request - Citizens Requests. Mr. Hawley advised that the contract with Government Outreach (GO) .had been executed. Staff had been assigned from each department and had begun work to develop the information, data and questions for the web site. Mayor Worrell moved on to Safety. The first item was fire services contract. Mr. Hawley advised that in 2008, the Town reached an agreement with the County for fire services, which was not executed. A draft one year agreement with the County for fire services had been included in the packet and was ready for approval. Councilman Welker moved to adopt the one year fire agreement with the County and authorize the Mayor to execute. Councilman Clevinger seconded the.motion and it carried on the following recorded vote: David L. Clark - Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. - Aye May 18, 2010/Page 4 of 6 1 I. 1 Larry G.. Clevinger,. ll Aye Robert A. Bopp - Aye H. M. Kidd - Aye Morgan P. Welker - Aye Mayor Worrell moved on to VDOT request for 1-81. Mr. Hawley advised of the receipt of correspondence from VDOT requesting comments on the proposal to raise the speed limit to 70 on the stretch. of 1-81 that includes the 2 Pulaski exits. He asked if Council had any comments they would like passed on to VDOT? Council had no comment to the request, but did ask the Town Manager to send a letter requesting more cutting at the exit. The next item on the agenda was Public Utilities. The first item was options for fixed costs for large meters. 05 Mr. Hawley advised of a request from Mr. Schwartz at the Pulaski Furniture complex for assistance for.paying the fixed water costs at the location. There was only one business at the location, but because of the current large meter, he was paying a large fixed cost. Council had previously discussed this and no action was taken at that time. Subsequently, Mr. Schwartz approached the staff again to request help. Following extensive discussion, in .order to facilitate new business in Town,. staff was directed to tell the owner that the Town would change the fixed meter cost to a.5/8" water meter fixed cost, but if more businesses located in the complex, it would be changed back to a large meter. Additionally, staff was directed to ask Mr. Schwartz to repair the fence around the complex on Fifth Street. Mayor Worrell moved on to Round Table discussions. Councilman Welker commented that Council had directed staff to prepare an Ordinance requiring businesses to verify their income for BPOL. He asked if that was scheduled for the next Council meeting? Mr. Hawley responded yes. Mr. Warburton commented that at the previous meeting, discussion ensued between staff and the Attorney whether it was a sense that Council wanted receipt of the tax item to be -kept in the normal course of business, in a private way, by the Finance. Director or her designee or whether Council wanted the document to be produced and -shown to the Finance Department representative and then retained by the tax payer? The consensus of Council was for the taxpayer to show the Finance Department representative the proper documentation and then be retained by the tax payer or shredded by the Finance Department. Next, Councilman: Welker advised that he had spoken with several members of the'Redevelopment and 'Housing Authority regarding dissatisfaction with some action of the Blight team in Town. He spoke of an apartment building that sounded like it should be condemned because of sewage leaking, and when it was brought up, were told that it was Town policy not to condemn buildings if people were living in them. -He inquired what the Town's policy was in that situation and what needed to be done to change it? Mayor Worrell commented that it is not a policy as much as it is a practice. Mr. Hawley responded that there is.nothing. in the Town code.to support -this action. However, unless the building was in danger of falling, it was Town practice to try to work with the owner in these type situations if it was occupied, rather than immediately condemning the building and evicting the occupants. He added that he thought that the situation with the building, being discussed had been corrected. Councilman Welker felt that staff needed -direction from Council and moved that staff be directed to not use occupancy of a structure as a consideration for determining the safety of the structure or for condemnation purposes. Following discussion,'the motion died for lack of a second. May 18, 2010/Page 5 of 6 M Councilman Welker commented that perhaps, through .a consensus of Council, some direction could be given to staff. Following -extensive discussion, no action was taken. At 6:15 p:m., there being -no further business, the meeting adjourned on motion by Councilman -Welker, seconded -by Councilman Kidd and so carried. Approved: 1 ey S. Worrell, Mayor 1 1 May 18, 2010/Page 6 of 6